National Tree Week
and Switch Off Fortnight
Eco awareness continues to grow
Rydal Penrhos Year 2 pupils recently participated in a day of tree-themed activities for National Tree Week.
At Rydal Penrhos, our commitment to fostering a deep appreciation for nature is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of our curriculum. From the weekly lessons pupils enjoy to annual awareness days, our pupils are constantly being reminded of the value of their natural surroundings.
Year 2 pupils have been celebrating National Tree Week, the UK’s largest annual tree celebration that highlights the vital role trees play in supporting diverse ecosystems. The celebrations began with discussions on trees as living habitats, setting the stage for a series of engaging activities that once again demonstrated the power of the Forest School experience.
The entire class gathered around a majestic tree, and hugged it as a symbolic recognition of responsibility and appreciation for the environment. Then, the group donned blindfolds to discuss how the trees felt and smelt. In groups of three, the pupils were blindfolded and led to a tree, and then had to find the same tree again, without the blindfold.
Beyond these experiences, our commitment to the environment extends through the thriving Eco-Committee, leading initiatives such as the Prep School’s Big Garden Birdwatch and local beach clean-ups for World Oceans Day.
National Tree Week at Rydal Penrhos embodies our dedication to creating a learning environment where pupils understand the inseparable link between the health of our planet and their own well-being. We look forward to reporting on many more activities regarding the same theme as the academic year progresses.
Switch Off Fortnight
From 13 to 24 November, Rydal Penrhos took part in Switch Off Fortnight, run by The Pod, an award winning schools programme with curriculum-linked teaching resources and environmental campaigns.
Switch Off Fortnight aims to raise awareness of the importance of saving energy to help stop Climate Change. In school, this involved being extra vigilant about excess energy by turning off lights, computers and digital whiteboards.
The Eco Committee at the Prep School recently held a House competition as part of the Switch Off Fortnight activities, to design a t-shirt that highlighted the need to look after our planet, save energy and stop climate change.
There were many wonderful entries which were judged by the Eco Committee members, with the best among them sent on to The Pod for the broader competition. All entries were awarded house points, with Snowdon winning overall.
The overall winner for KS1 was Lizzy Repina in Year 1 and the winner in KS2 was Phoebe Jewsbury in Year 5.
Well done to our winners and everyone who took part for their fabulous designs!